Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-08-11
The Yelled Prophet.

In St. Louis, anu stOOu on Tue Oal-
cony of the Southern Hotel, wait
ing for the procession. The streets
below surged with enthusiastic
citizens. They all threw up their
hats and shouted; "Grover Cleye-
land for 1882
1t sounded far off, as shouts do
in dreams, yet the welcome words
were distinctly Ineligible.
Then burst of music announced
that the head of the procession was
nearing the place where the Presi-
dent stood. The guest of the city
started back as if in surprise. For
it was not the rich bare of "a full
brass band that he heard, but the
sharp staccato of flies and drums
playing soldiers march.
The crowd in the street separated
right and left. cleft! left, left!
leftm came the measured tread of
the marchers and the head of the
mighty procession swept by.
This was no carnival Scene. The
President looked down the long
line, but not float or a barge or an
aIlegorical tableau on decorated
wagon was in sight. No maskers,
no mummers. Nothing but men
plainly dressed in blue, most of
them of middle age or beyond,
marching always in grim earnest
TO tle music of fife and drum.
The guest of the city turned in
dignantly to the Chairman of the
Committee on Entertainment, who
stood just behind him. "What
does this mean? Is it an insult in
tended?" The committee
shook his head urbanely and put
his finger to his lips. Then he
pointed down the line. 1t seemed to
oe endless.
Still they came, platoon after
platoon. Left! left! left! left!'-
d steady, rhythmic tread, punctuated
now and then by the cinking
oeckle of pair of iron shod crutches.
Some of the marchers wore
empty coat sleeves pinned upon the
breast. Some of them marched
with difficulty. None of them
glanced up at the balcony where The
guest of the city stood. They
moved straight onward, as if they
were marching to combat.
The President sighed. 81 did
not know there were so many of
them" he said.
Ga they came -"left! left! left!
left!"-thousapds, tens of thousands,
hundreds of thousands of Union
veterans. And every few minutes
hoarse cheers went up from the
crowd of spectators that lined the
way. The cheers were no longer
for the man on the balcony or for
1888. They We're for the bullet
ridden, tattered, ragged, and blood
stained battle flags that were borne
by, and for the memory of the
battle years in the sixties.
The minutes seemed hours to the
President, and the hours seemed au
eternity, while he stood and re-
viewed the grim parades, who paid
no heed to his presence. AT last
a welcome sound relieved his ears,
weary of the monot0nous tramping.
lie heard the rumbIlng of wheels.
"The Yelled Prophet" somebody
shouted: "Here he comesl"
As the massive car approached
drawn by score of white horses,
the cheering below became contlnu
Gus. The guest of the city leaned
over the balustrade, the better to
see the pageant. The car was
handsomely decorated with flowers
and bunting. On the summit of
the construction stood a single
figure, man wearing as a veil over
ms face the flag of the United States.
The car stopped just opposite the
hotel entrance. The Prophet
slowly removed the veil that had
concealed his features and stood
face to face with the President.
He said nothing, but stretched his
arm forth and pointed with a most
significant gesture to tn long line
of veterans ahead, their backs now
all turned to Grover Cleveland, all
marching steadily away from him
into the distance.
The President recognized the
Yelled Prophet. at IS George
Brin,ki, my substituted he mur-
INJURED. lie turned away and awoSe.
Il had been a bad eam.-Ne,o
Eork Sun.
Money Saved is Money Made.
ntfar my nntlrn sfnck of hnnts